Garland makes a return to CQ

NEW look Cockatoo Coal makes a decision on new CEO

Tuesday 17 January 2017

Twelve months after parting ways with Caledon Coal, well known CQ coal mining identity Brett Garland will return to the region as CEO for the Baralaba Coal Company.

It’s been a tumultuous few years for the company formerly known as Cockatoo Coal. In late 2015 it was forced into administration when coal prices collapsed, but six months later was rescued by one of its principal shareholders, although the rescue came at an eye-watering cost to some of the businesses biggest shareholders and creditors.

For roughly the last six months the Baralaba Coal Company’s mines around Baralaba have been on care and maintenance while it waited for the coal price outlook to improve.

However, off the back of record coal prices late in 2016 the company has announced it will recommence operations around April this year, with Mr Garland set to start working at the end of this month.

“Brett will lead the company as it prepares to restart operations at the Baralaba North mine,” Baralaba Coal Company said in a written statement.

“Mr Garland is a mining engineer with over 30 years experience in the Australian coal mining industry and possesses significant experience in Queensland open cut coal mining operations.

“Recently Brett has been a contract general manager with Delta SBD where he focussed on the restart of operations at an underground coal mine in NSW.

Mr Garland spent five years at Caledon Coal, the most recent two years of which were in the capacity of Managing Director. In his new role he will be paid a base salary of $400,000 excluding superannuation, and will be entitled to participate in short and longer term incentive schemes.